Ri217 vs Fi23

[mrnate450r 6]

I am thinking about these two models. Our crew is usually 4 adults and 2 kids. We loved the Ri wave. I'm guessing price will be fairly similar between the two. I think the 217 will be plenty big for us. Will the Fi wave be better? More storage in the Fi? 

[Darkside 248]

These are excellent questions, and IF the FI23 is as good as the RI217, it will likely cannibalize the sales of the 217.    I suspect the FI will be as good of not better than the 217, and probably wakeboard better, due to the Hull.  

I would also think this hull change which was added to the 237 in 2018, will hit the 217 in 2019.  This could make a 2018 Ri217 take a resale hit.   

Just my $.02 

[wheels 151]

There will also be a fi21 coming 

[wheels 151]

1 hour ago, Darkside said:

These are excellent questions, and IF the FI23 is as good as the RI217, it will likely cannibalize the sales of the 217.    I suspect the FI will be as good of not better than the 217, and probably wakeboard better, due to the Hull.  

I would also think this hull change which was added to the 237 in 2018, will hit the 217 in 2019.  This could make a 2018 Ri217 take a resale hit.   

Just my $.02 

Maybe for the 1% like us but for the most people they won't even know anything about hull difference. Remember the old diamond vs wake debates!

 

[InfinitySurf 302]

I talked to a guy from Centurion factory yesterday...he said the FI has lower freeboard than RI and will not have things like the seats that pull up to face rear, etc....to help cut costs. Course Ramfill and CATS are an option. I asked if rated for 16 person since a 23ft boat...he said no, he thot rated for 14 cause of the almost 5k of ballast. Said cost mid to high 90's....loaded is roughly $115k. Think that boat is gonna sell really well

[BoardCo 110]

This is a big question that we have dealt with internally and will be an issue for many customers.

Depending on the way you option them out the price is similar between the two boats. Both are great surf waves and great wakeboard wakes - there are some differences but I'm pretty picky and I wouldn't factor the wake performance into decision.

Here are the main differences on the Ri217 vs the Fi23:
Deeper freeboard on Ri217
Sliding seat standard on Ri217 (option on Fi23)
SxS Dash display (this one is a preference thing)
Different look / design on the boat
More storage space on the Ri217 (primarily because of increased freeboard)
A foot more length on the Fi23
Step up cooler on the Ri217 vs. clear walkthrough on the Fi23
Flip up stadium seat on the side of the Ri217 - not on the Fi23

I don't know the inner workings of some things at Centurion but I would be surprised if they made a hull change on the Ri217 for 2019 unless they make it better than the current Opti-V Hull. The Ri217 has a hull that is more similar to the 2018 Fi23 / Ri237 / Ri257 than any other hull developed and it would be a slight hull improvement and not a significant one. It is possible, but the expenses of new mold design would probably be put toward a different model vs. redesigning the Ri217 as it is so close to the Fi23 hull shape as it is.
 

[Darkside 248]

My bad i thought the only 3 optiV guilds were 257, FI23 and 2018 RI237, i didn't think they updated the 217....you know more than me though!

[wheels 151]

@DarksideThey are but the ri217 is very close that changing it would not make financial sense as there would be very little difference 

[Nick213 583]

1 hour ago, wheels said:

@DarksideThey are but the ri217 is very close that changing it would not make financial sense as there would be very little difference 

Ahh size matters..... or she's laying

[mrnate450r 6]

@BoardCo, do you happen to know what the number of each Ri model sold to date? I would say that typically the 23ft size seems to be the most popular, but wondered if it was true for the Ri line as well. I would assume that 23ft is the most common, that's why we see the Fi23 first. This may sway my decision for resale purposes, if you confirm my thoughts. 

[NW Boat Sports 232]

The 224 and 202 have the Opti-V hull as well

[Sparkycollier 32]

6 hours ago, NW Boat Sports said:

The 224 and 202 have the Opti-V hull as well

Supreme?

[BoardCo 110]

@mrnate450r I don't know the exact figures but yes the Ri237 is the #1 selling model currently nationwide though it varies quite a bit depending on the area. Here is Utah the Ri257 was the #1 boat (we sold 24 of them this year) but we are definitely an anomaly. Other areas sell more Ri217's vs. 237's.

[BoardCo 110]

We are really excited about the Fi23 because a lot of people "think" they need a 23 foot boat. A lot of people think the Ri217 is too small (before they actually see it and climb in it) and the Fi23 will help with that a bit. As issue we run into when selling Centurions is that people compare 23 foot boats directly across without accounting for the major differences in size. We have customers that compare the Ri237 against the G23 (which is all good) but also guys that compare it against a Malibu 23LSV or a MasterCraft XT23 - both of which are no where near the size of the Ri237 and are arguably smaller boats than the Ri217. In that situation the "I can get a Malibu 23LSV for this much less" gets really frustrating when comparing against a Ri237 and the Fi23 will help with that a lot.

[Darkside 248]

2 hours ago, BoardCo said:

We are really excited about the Fi23 because a lot of people "think" they need a 23 foot boat. A lot of people think the Ri217 is too small (before they actually see it and climb in it) and the Fi23 will help with that a bit. As issue we run into when selling Centurions is that people compare 23 foot boats directly across without accounting for the major differences in size. We have customers that compare the Ri237 against the G23 (which is all good) but also guys that compare it against a Malibu 23LSV or a MasterCraft XT23 - both of which are no where near the size of the Ri237 and are arguably smaller boats than the Ri217. In that situation the "I can get a Malibu 23LSV for this much less" gets really frustrating when comparing against a Ri237 and the Fi23 will help with that a lot.

To me the Ri237 compares very well with M235 and G23, the 257 is in a class by itself.   To me the FI is like the GS series from Nautique.  Very nice boats, but your not going to mistake a G for a GS.    Same thing i don't think you will mistake a Fi23 for Ri237.

[mxvet 0]

So would buying a 2017 Ri237 be a bad choice since they are changing the hull for 2018? Considering making a change, but not sure if I should wait for Fi23 or take a somewhat discounted Ri237. I have only demo'd a Ri217 so far. Bow rise was crazy, Wake was decent, but I'm looking for great,,, and the dealer says the 237 will be a longer surf wake. demo is scheduled but still looking for opinions. Anything I should know about the 237? any known issues other than clips falling off?

 

[wheels 151]

30 minutes ago, mxvet said:

So would buying a 2017 Ri237 be a bad choice since they are changing the hull for 2018? Considering making a change, but not sure if I should wait for Fi23 or take a somewhat discounted Ri237. I have only demo'd a Ri217 so far. Bow rise was crazy, Wake was decent, but I'm looking for great,,, and the dealer says the 237 will be a longer surf wake. demo is scheduled but still looking for opinions. Anything I should know about the 237? any known issues other than clips falling off?

 

There's always gonna be something changing from year to year. I couldn't be happier with my 17 ri237. I think the only difference the new hull will make is low speed beginner wakeboard wake. I have found with all front ballast filled and centre tab down I can make a decent slow beginner wake. 

[Korgae 11]

3 hours ago, mxvet said:

So would buying a 2017 Ri237 be a bad choice since they are changing the hull for 2018? Considering making a change, but not sure if I should wait for Fi23 or take a somewhat discounted Ri237. I have only demo'd a Ri217 so far. Bow rise was crazy, Wake was decent, but I'm looking for great,,, and the dealer says the 237 will be a longer surf wake. demo is scheduled but still looking for opinions. Anything I should know about the 237? any known issues other than clips falling off?

 

Bow rise? And decent wake?  Sounds like your dealer didn't set up the boat right or go through the features correctly with you on your demo. Quick launch and then adjust centre tab to the boat is flat or to your liking.. and the wave- I came from a BU with SG.. the wave I have with our 217 is hands down better in every way, in fact I was just saying last night, finally a wave so big you can actually hurt your self on it when you get it wrong.

[mxvet 0]

I'm not new to surf boats, been around for ~8 years.  the dealer felt that adding bow weight scars the shape of the wake on 217, so I did not push further. How much weight do you use in the bow?  I have a 23' competitor boat with similar surf system and I use 250# bow weight in it. 

Besides that, they do not have 2017 Ri217 that I like color wise, but do have a couple Ri237's that I like that they are willing to deal on.

Edited July 18, 2017 by mxvet

[Darkside 248]

3 hours ago, mxvet said:

So would buying a 2017 Ri237 be a bad choice since they are changing the hull for 2018? Considering making a change, but not sure if I should wait for Fi23 or take a somewhat discounted Ri237. I have only demo'd a Ri217 so far. Bow rise was crazy, Wake was decent, but I'm looking for great,,, and the dealer says the 237 will be a longer surf wake. demo is scheduled but still looking for opinions. Anything I should know about the 237? any known issues other than clips falling off?

 

Was it bow rise or size rise?  My previous boat was a 24 MXZ.  It had that traditional low, sexy look that wake boats had.  So i got used to seeing everything right in front of me.   The diwnside with this is it was REALLY easy to take water over the bow.  The RI series is polar opposite, they are deep, tons of freeboard, wave making, monsters.  So due to the additional hieght of the boat, you lose visibility right in front of the boat.   Your visibility in the farfield, is still there.   Just not the first few feet in front of the boat.